Webster defines idolatry as:
Main Entry: idol·a·try
Pronunciation: -trE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -tries
Date: 13th century
1 : the worship of a physical object as a god
2 : immoderate attachment or devotion to something
I don't know of anyone who worships Old Glory as a god, but there is no shortage of freaks in the world and it wouldn't surprise me too much if someone out there did. If you are trying to say a good christian doesn't worship the flag as a god, then I would have to thank you for stating the obvious and question why you are making such an odd comment.
The only other possibility (using these two basic definitions) would be that you are trying to say anyone possessing an "immoderate" attachment or devotion to the flag is not behaving like a good christian. Well, OK, let's look more closely at the definition of "immoderate": exceeding just, usual, or suitable bounds. In order for your argument to be feasible using this definition, you would have to explain why an American citizen pledging allegiance to the flag is demonstrating an attachment or devotion that is "exceeding just, usual, or suitable bounds".
Pledging Allegiance is declaring a binding promise of devotion and loyalty. Pledging allegiance to the flag and the republic for which it stands is promising to be devoted and loyal to our great country and the flag which symbolizes it. I do not see anything unjust, unusual, unsuitable, or even unchristian about such an act.
We could go on arguing over semantics, context, translations, and intentions all day long - but, why? I can think of SO many better things to do with my time than defending such an obviously commendable, patriotic, and honorable act that doesn't NEED defense except to those who would choose to undermine the very things that make this country the greatest in the world. If you are not one of those people, why are you trying to convince us that the Pledge of Allegiance is such a bad thing?
If you ARE one of those people, you are posting in the wrong forum! If you are NOT one of those people, find something more worthy of your time. There are much bigger and more important battles to win out there.
I fear we do not use the same dictionary.
I further fear you have not understood the overall point I made in my comments.
1.The nature and purpose of the Pledge of Allegiance is fundamentally different from both the Presidential Oath of Office as defined in the Constitution and other admirable American oaths and vows such as the Boy Scout oath.
2. The "root cause" of the current imbroglio is the passive acceptance of government run education and not specific activities that do or do not occur inside the government run schools such as Prayers or Pledges.
While conservatives,Christians,and patriots may have justly developed a hypersensitivity to any assaults on religion after a century of unrelenting attack, it is unfortunate they picked this particular occasion to indulge in a hysterical reaction to a court ruling.
To embrace the embedded premise that government can determine how Sovereign Citizens should comport themselves in government schools by supporting a peculiar melange of patriotism and religion is tantamount to insisting on a perfect arrangement of deck chairs while the Ship Of State continues to slide slowly under the ocean waves.
You can bet there is much merriment and knee slapping among the Fabian Socialist Left in tofu-filled back rooms everywhere over the notion that conservative Christian Patriots will insist on reciting an oath intrinsically destructive to their primary philosophy as long as it contains the phrase "under God"
Further, the notion that popular passions of the moment embodied in a petition "by the overwhelming vast majority" of citizens can overturn a fundamentally sound court ruling in itself works extreme violence on basic principles of Constitutional rule and equal representation under law.
There must be some way for the Conservative Right to learn and understand the principles underlying their philosophy as well as the left understands both Conservative Philosophy and their own Fabian Socialist world view.
Otherwise we will fall into a bottomless abyss of insanity.
The path out of this wilderness is to develop a complete understanding of the orginal Constitution and the supporting documents,learn,analyze and repeal the grevious injuries inflicted on the orginal principles under the Lincoln, Wilson and Roosevelt Administrations and restore the checks and balances orginally devised so they may work as intended.
This will of necessity be difficult, but it must be done and done correctly otherwise America will metamorphosize into some unrecognizable Tyrannical State.
Best regards,